You’re getting ready to put your home up for sale soon which has you making endless to-do lists of things that need to get done so that your house makes the biggest impact when it goes on the market. You've read article after article about creating curb appeal, decluttering and removing personal belongings, staging each room so it looks like a model home. There’s the deep cleaning, minor repairs to take care of, and giving your walls a fresh coat of paint. It can all start to seem extremely overwhelming and expensive!

We've seen this happen with our clients over and over and so we decided to find a way to make the process much easier (and less stressful!).

Enter Compass Concierge. With this only-at-Compass offering, we'll front the cost of services to improve your home for a quicker, more profitable return. Exclusive to our clients, our Concierge program will prepare your home for the market. From deep-cleaning to cosmetic improvements, we'll work with you to assess every opportunity to elevate your home's value.

And with our in-house construction company, Eagle Rock Restoration, all you have to do is decide which improvements you want to include in your preparation plan. We'll manage the project (big or small) from start to finish!

Compass will cover all upfront costs, collecting payment for the services rendered when your home closes escrow. By investing in your home's potential, we aim to provide a swifter, more profitable sale.

As your agent, our primary goal is to find new ways to sell your home as fast as possible for the highest price, so we couldn't be more excited to share a new initiative with you today: Compass Coming Soon. A unique pre-marketing opportunity, Coming Soon will allow us to reach potential buyers before officially listing your home. Why is this so important? For a few key reasons:

Greater demand.

From movie trailers to Fashion Week, other industries have mastered the art of pre-marketing. That’s what Compass Coming Soon is all about — building excitement and anticipation for your property.

Increased exposure.

With a Compass Coming Soon listing, you have not one, but two opportunities to launch your property: first on Compass.com, then later on the MLS and aggregator sites.

"Pillarhenge", as it is unaffectionately known by Eagle Rockers, is the hot topic at the next Neighborhood Council meeting.

On the agenda for tonight's Eagle Rock Neighborhood Council meeting is a presentation from the developers of 1332 Colorado, known locally as "Pillarhenge," the empty concrete-columned lot at the eastern end of Eagle Rock (by the onramp to the 134 freeway, Found Coffee, and Craft Beer Cellar).

The developers will talk about the project they'd like to build, which is a 26-unit mixed use residential building, with commercial spaces on the ground floor, two affordable very-low-income units, and green space and parking for residents.

The developers are asking the city for permission to increase the building floor area allowed for the narrow lot, so we'll hear all about their rationale for that, as well as the details of the density bonus that comes along with the affordable units.

If you’re a potential home seller, you’ve probably noticed that home prices are through the roof in Northeast LA. Homes in Pasadena are always in high demand, and real estate in Highland Park, Glassell Park and Eagle Rock don’t stay on the market long.

If you’re considering selling your Northeast Los Angeles home, a good question to ask yourself is: “How did I find my existing home?”. For most people it was either online, from a Realtor, or from seeing a yard sign.

Statistically speaking, you probably utilized the Internet at some point during your search process if you’ve purchased your home in the last 10 years.

]]>keelymyres@gmail.com (Keely Myres)Real EstateMon, 29 May 2017 17:40:54 +0000Selling Your Home in NELA? Make Sure the Price is Righthttps://tracyslarealestate.com/selling-your-home-in-nela-make-sure-the-price-is-right
https://tracyslarealestate.com/selling-your-home-in-nela-make-sure-the-price-is-right

In a red hot real estate market like Northeast LA, pricing your home right is key.

Real estate in Northeast Los Angeles continues to boom. Beyond ultra-hot Eagle Rock and Highland Park, homes in Mt. Washington aren't staying on the market long and we're seeking homes for sale in Glassell Park being snatched up after a single open house. If you own a home in one of these hot-market areas and you're thinking of selling your home, then you probably have a lot of questions.

One of the most important questions for home sellers is: How should I price my home?

Some people think they should price their home well above the market, in hopes people will make an offer, or negotiate down to the real price. Others think they should price the home just above the market, in hopes of fetching a few extra dollars.

Truth be told, pricing is used to attract buyers and offers, which then leads to negotiating the real price. So it’s important to price your home on the market so it generates lot of buyer interest … and ultimately lots of offers.

When you receive multiple offers, you can negotiate higher prices. As a seller, multiple-offer situations give you leverage. And pricing your home right is a key ingredient to getting multiple offers.

In Northeast LA, "curb appeal" isn't just about having a great looking home. It's about improving home value.

With homes in Highland Park selling briskly, and Glassell Park real estate in high demand, home sellers in Northeast Los Angeles neighborhoods are thinking about small ways to make a large difference in the value of their homes. They are finding that fixing up one's home to improve the "curb appeal" is a step in the right direction.

Great curb appeal not only makes your home the star of the neighborhood, it can also improve its value and help you sell it for more. Whether you’re thinking of listing your home or just want to make your home the envy of your neighbors, here are several ways to increase your home’s curb appeal.

1. Make your home’s exterior look like new.

For many potential buyers, the condition of the exterior of a home can offer clues to the condition of the interior. The first place to start when boosting curb appeal is the exterior of your house.

Paint. Paint is the best way to make your home appear newer. While you can paint your home yourself, if it’s large or more than one story, consider hiring a professional. Painting is a fairly inexpensive improvement with between 60 to 100 percent return on investment.1

Maintain your siding. Over time, weather and the elements can make your home’s siding appear dull and dirty. Use a pressure washer to clean stains, spider webs and accumulated dirt and grime, or use a soft cloth and a household cleaner to get into those small nooks and spaces. Although the average life expectancy of siding ranges from 60 to 100 years, depending on the material, extreme weather may reduce this number. If you need to replace the siding, you’ll enjoy a 77 percent return on investment.1

For Northeast LA home sellers, it pays to hire an experienced realtor who knows the ins and outs of price, preparation and promotion.

Over the past decade homes in Highland Park and Eagle Rock have become sought after, not only by those moving into the region, but by real estate investors looking to capatlize on the hot, hot market. Consequently, real estate in Glassell Park and Mt. Washington and other areas of Northeast LA have risen in value, too.

Naturally, the question on every homeowner's mind is, "What is my home worth?"

Since you are probably curious about your home’s value, I wanted to give you some tips on how you can increase your home’s resale value.

The best way to get more for you home is to work on the 3 Ps of home sales:

Price - pricing your home to avoid Limbo Land, a place where homes sit on the market indefinitely.

Promotion - marketing your home to get your home found online and generate buyer interest.

On our team we work with home sellers to implement the 3 Ps and sell homes for higher than the average real estate agent.

]]>keelymyres@gmail.com (Keely Myres)Real EstateMon, 24 Apr 2017 20:06:32 +0000First Time Homebuyers: Feel Like You Have a Tiger by the Tail?https://tracyslarealestate.com/northeast-los-angeles-real-estate-homebuyers-feel-like-you-have-a-tiger-by-the-tail
https://tracyslarealestate.com/northeast-los-angeles-real-estate-homebuyers-feel-like-you-have-a-tiger-by-the-tail

If today's homebuyers want to score big in the hot and active Northeast LA real estate market, it behooves them to think like a seasoned investor.

Many first time buyers in the crazy Northeast Los Angeles real estate market do feel like they have a tiger by the proverbial tail. From their point of view, they looked at dozens of homes for sale in Highland Park or Eagle Rock, dutifully attending open houses. They have competed time after time, pouring their hearts out in charming "I love your house and we are the cute couple you should pick to buy it" letters, scraping together every dime they can, revealing all their financial secrets to people they've never met and probably never will. And then, the 13th or 23rd time they go through this, they win!

They get to buy a house! Now what?

Now they do inspections and, oh my! This house needs work! It costs more than anyone they are related to — anyone they've ever known — has ever paid and it's not perfect! Not only that, this crazy market has been going up way too long and they just know that the minute they close escrow, the crash will happen and they will be stuck with an overpriced turkey that still needs work. Yikes! They have listened to their friends and reluctantly to Uncle Joe the accountant who bought his last house in 1982, and they are beginning to think the family and friends might be right—they are being chumps and they'd better get out while they can.

But they have a buyers' agent who reassures them that even though the house was sold as-is, even though the homeowners provided a general inspection and even a chimney and sewer inspection that revealed these issues, they can still ask for credits and repairs and negotiate the price down.

What the seller may choose to do about the requests is anyone's guess — but often they say no, or maybe they'll negotiate a little bit. Now the ball is back in the buyer's court. What next?

When we talk to a homeowner who is thinking of selling, we outline our process. Some people choose to follow every step we describe and they are usually the most successful sellers we have.

We just congratulated the Sellers of a lovely home in Mount Washington on the successful close of the sale of their home. They told us how easy we had made it for them. Selling a house can be a stressful process whether it ends well or not, so this was high praise. Mt. Washington real estate is a hot region, but doesn't mean selling is always a simple matter. The Seller stated, "We just did what you told us to when you told us to do it, and it all worked out."

]]>keelymyres@gmail.com (Keely Myres)Homeowner tips and resourcesFri, 17 Feb 2017 18:40:45 +0000A Home is the Perfect Valentine's Day Gift ... If the Time is Righthttps://tracyslarealestate.com/a-home-is-the-perfect-valentine-s-day-gift-if-the-time-is-right
https://tracyslarealestate.com/a-home-is-the-perfect-valentine-s-day-gift-if-the-time-is-right

There couldn't be a better gift for your Valentine than a house! But is this a good time to buy?

The best time to buy a house is when you think about it, almost or already have the money together, and see a house you like. But how about the market? Isn't it time for the bubble to burst?

There's a reason why homes in Mount Washington are always in demand as well as why it has become one of LA's hottest real estate markets. Located only ten minutes from downtown Los Angeles, hillside homes like this one, command stunning views while offering a rural-feeling and idyllic, dream-like lifestyle.

In Mt. Washington, dreams do come true: It isn't hard to imagine the kids walking along a scenic trail to their great elementary school, views from the whole property, a quiet cul-de-sac that feels remote yet is minutes from downtown Los Angeles and every hip crowded boulevard in Northeast LA. Is it possible?

Homes in Highland Park are much in demand for many reasons, especially because the homes are loaded with character and charm. The opportunities to get your hands on an older classic Craftsman-style home and tranform it into the home of your dreams is what make Highland Park real estate a hot, hot commodity. But every once in a while, something really special comes along and THIS IS IT!

Built just after Occidental College moved from Highland Park to Eagle Rock, this 3-level, 3-unit, Craftsman-style house on Professor's Row (Sycamore Terrace) is ready for your loving touch. It's all about the potential--and there's lots of it to work with in this 2500-sqft former beauty.

Has the Northeast Los Angeles real estate market been affected post election? Is the fact that premium homes in Highland Park, Eagle Rock, Pasadena and elsewhere are selling quickly with a dwindling inventory telling us something has shifted? If so, what is changing?

As of about a month after the unexpected results of the Presidential election, we continue to see things happen that were not predicted. The biggest change in the real estate world right now seems to be an uptick in mortgage interest rates. Rates have gone up around ½ to ¾ percent. I’ve talked to several lenders over the last few weeks and no one really knows what will happen next. Will they keep going up? Will they go down? Who knows? But it doesn’t look good for those of us who didn’t get around to refinancing at under 3.5%.

If you are planning to buy or sell a house, you should be familiar with the new Residential Purchase Agreement. "Oh, my Realtor will tell me what I need to know," you say. Think again! This contract underwent some major changes within the last couple of years, and continues to have little tweaks done to it with no real fanfare at least twice a year. Most of these changes are designed to clarify items that didn't even exist a few years ago, like leased solar and alarm systems. But some items that don't look like a big change can be if they apply to you. Also, There are some subtle bombs hidden in straight-forward boiler plate sentences.

Eagle Rock businesses really stepped out for We Heart Eagle Rock Shop Small the last Saturday of November. There were 38 businesses on the map, all located along our main two commercial streets, Eagle Rock and Colorado Boulevards. Most of these businesses are "Mom and Pop," privately owned shops by people who live right here in Northeast Los Angeles. I visited a few, mostly the new businesses that I hadn't seen before. I was so impressed by the individuality and quality of the shops we are so lucky to have in our community. I started my Christmas shopping today in earnest and found gifts that I wouldn't have thought of if I were just shopping on the Internet--not that you couldn't shop in most of these stores online, but it's so much more inspiring to see items in person.

The Pasadena Humane Society & SPCA is an independent, donor-supported, non-profit agency that provides animal care and services for homeless and owned animals in our community. PHS takes in nearly 12,000 animals each year from the cities of Arcadia, Bradbury, Glendale, La Cañada Flintridge, Monrovia, Pasadena, San Marino, Sierra Madre and South Pasadena.

This week we were excited to send a donation to the Dahlia Heights PTA on behalf of our clients whom we helped to sell their first home, a sweet bungalow in Eagle Rock, and purchase their next Eagle Rock home!

Dahlia Heights is a beloved elementary school here in Eagle Rock. Since it is no longer considered a Title 1 school, the PTA is working compensate for the hundreds of thousands of dollars the school no longer has in the budget for staffing, extra programs and other resources.